Shock Waves and Equations of State Related to Laser Plasma Interaction

Abstract

Equations of state (EOS) of are fundamental to numerous fields of science, such as astrophysics, geophysics, plasma physics, inertial confinement physics and more. Laser induced shock waves techniques enable the study of equations of states and related properties, expanding the thermodynamic range reached by conventional gas gun shock waves and static loading experiments. Two basic techniques are used in laser-induced shock wave research, direct drive and indirect drive. In direct drive, one or more beams irradiate the target. In the indirect drive, thermal x-rays generated in laser heated cavities create the shock wave. Most of the laser induced shock waves experiments in the last decade used the impedance matching. Both direct and indirect drive can be used to accelerate a small foil-flyer and collide it with the studied sample, creating a shock in the sample, similar to gas-gun accelerated plates experiments. These lectures describe the physics of laser induced shock waves and rarefaction waves. The different formulae of the ideal gas EOS are used in connection with shock waves and rarefaction waves. The critical problems in laser induced shock waves are pointed out and the shock wave stability is explained. A general description of the various thermodynamic EOS is given. In particular the Gruneisen EOS is derived fromEinstein and Debye models of the solid state of matter. Furthermore, the very useful phenomenological EOS, namely the linear relation between the shock wave velocity and the particle flow velocity, is analysed. This EOS is used to explain the ≈ 1 Gbar pressures in laser plasma induced shock waves. Last but not least, the shock wave jump conditions are derived in the presence of a magnetic field.